Hi folks,
I've decided to give straight shaving a try and I've got a stainless razor on the way. The shop notes that they ship all razors with a coating of oil. Is it worthwhile to apply a light oil to a stainless razor when done with shaving?
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Hi folks,
I've decided to give straight shaving a try and I've got a stainless razor on the way. The shop notes that they ship all razors with a coating of oil. Is it worthwhile to apply a light oil to a stainless razor when done with shaving?
Absolutely! Stainless is just corrosion resistant, not corrosion proof. It'll happen eventually, it just takes longer. Most alloys are still in the neighborhood of 40% to 60% iron
Edit: Maybe not every single time you finish shaving with it, but definitely if you're going to put it away for any period of time, or you like to pull them out & enjoy the eye candy between shaves.
Welcome, Nubo. What KenWeir said.
What razor are you waiting for, and from what vendor?
Thanks roughkype, it's a Dovo 849 from straightrazordesigns.Quote:
Originally Posted by roughkype
If its from srd then it should have been honed by Lynn & be truly ready to go.
I don't oil any of my blades carbon or stainless steel unless I am going away on vacation. They all get used once a week in rotation and we don't live in a high humidity area. Your climate may be very different. Yea, stainless steel is not impervious to rust but does so at a greatly reduced rate. I just looked at a stainless steel knife that had been sitting in it's leather sheath for a couple of years unoiled and it still looks new. Just saying there is much less of a panic about rust with stainless if kept dry.
Bob
I do after every shave with my stainless! I do live in Las Vegas, but you can never her to careful!
Nubo,
Living in soggy Britain a few hundred yards away from the English Channel, in a leaky Victorian house, I give all my blades, carbon & stainless a wipe with Sentry Solutions TufGlide.
It is a habit I have got into, doesn't take long and there is no need to differentiate between blade steel types :)
Have fun !
Best regards
Russ
What kind of oil is needed?
Find a sword/knife dealer online & get a bottle of clove oil, like they use on Japanese swords. It's actually about 95% mineral oil & does a good job. Cheap too!
You will want to make sure to clean off all the oil before shaving, mineral oil smarts when you get it in a cut.
Also for long-term storage you'd want to wipe & reapply it every couple of months. Over time the oil will oxidize & lose its ability to repel moisture.
Thanks a lot
I live on Lake Michigan and I use mineral oil once per week, especially at the pivot. WD-40 also works in a pinch.
I think I'd want to use a dry lube like remoil on the pivot. An oil would collect dust
Although I'm a daily shaver with a single blade (at least for now), I oil it (with Vaseline) after each shave, just to be safe...especially because I live in tropic weather. Very high humidity over here. The whole precess takes like 30 sec anyway! :gl:
I've never oiled any of my blades but we've got pretty low humidity here, especially during winter.
Does Vaseline do a pretty good job?
Interesting. As it happens, I already have some Clove oil. Wondering if it's the same stuff you get from knife dealers. This bottle is for medicinal purposes -- it is a remarkably effective topical anesthetic when nerve endings are exposed. If you ever chip a tooth the stuff will save the day until you can get to a dentist. Stings like heck for a minute and then it's as good as novocaine.Quote:
Originally Posted by KenWeir
I'm pretty sure what you have is a pure clove oil or nearly so. The stuff I'm talking about is mostly white mineral oil with a small amount of clove oil added. It's cheap and a small bottle will last a very long time as it only takes a drop or two. Another method I've used is to just keep a small rag that's nearly saturated with the oil & just give the blade a quick wipe with it.
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Depending on how humid your home is, one can usually just be sure to dry the razor before putting it away between shaves. If humidity is a concern, then lightly oiling your stainless steel razor is a good idea. I agree with KenWeir - cutlery steel is high in carbon content and can still rust relatively easily if put away wet.
I have never used Vaseline, but I hear it works pretty well. Give it a shot!Quote:
Originally Posted by mvacca7
One liberal application of vaseline worked fine for 40+ years on my great uncle Jim's sword that he brought back from Iwo Jima.
I find that it coats nicely without dripping or being messy and easier/ quicker to apply..do give it a try.
Quote:
Originally Posted by parkerskouson
